Rent & Equip houses for 30 street connected youths

This project of the World of Work (WOW) programme is geared towards supporting vulnerable youth in promoting their personal wellbeing by offering them basic and affordable accommodation. As the young person moves off the street for up to one year we will ensure that rent is covered as the young people identify sources of livelihood such that they can pay their own rents and in time move to better quality houses. 

In the programme, we have increased the number of girls / young women. Out of the beneficiaries whom we have currently housed we have seven who are young mothers,. These include Betty (not her real name), a mother of one, who is now selling coffee and mandazi (like donuts) in Kitale town and who also provides catering services to other WOW participants on Fridays at the Kitale Museum activity each week. Another young person who has recently been housed is Patrick (also not his real name), a single father, who has just began an apprenticeship in metal fabrication/welding.

By the end of WOW 4 and as we begin with the next group WOW 5 this month, the programme has rented houses for 13 youths who are now either on apprentice attachments/placements or running their own business. 3 are training as mechanics (1 for motor vehicles and 2 for motorbikes), one as a welder, one has received a street food trolley (following appropriate training), and three young people are doing business with luggage trollies they were given by the programme.

In addition three youth have been supported in reuniting with their families and have moved back home to the counties of Bungoma, Turkana and Bondo.

For these young people it is an exciting but also a challenging time for them. We look forward to working with them and supporting them on their journey to a life away from the streets.